Olive tree named ‘I-42’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of olive tree, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘I-42’, is provided which forms a spreading growth habit. Fruit with a low weight and acute shape is produced. The fruit exhibit black coloration and the fruit nipple is moderately present. The stone of the fruit of the new variety is of very low to low weight, very elongated and possess a moderately rugose surface.

Botanical/commercial classification:

Latin name: Olea europaea L.

Common name: Olive tree.

Varietal denomination: ‘I-42’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Spanish Application No. 20215606,which was filed at Spanish Office of Vegetable Varieties in Spain onFeb. 9, 2021, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by referencefor all purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of olive tree of the present invention was created by acontrolled cross in Spain wherein two parents which previously had beenstudied were crossed in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) of the newvariety was the ‘ARBOSANA’ variety (unpatented). The male parent (i.e.,pollen parent) was the ‘KORONEIKI’ variety (unpatented).

The parentage can be summarized as follows:‘ARBOSANA’ x ‘KORONEIKI’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

The new variety's size is intermediate between ‘Arbosana’ and‘Koroneiki’ variety. The new variety's has same precocity in productionthan ‘Koroneiki’ cultivar. Table 1 further lists some of the differencesand similarities between the new variety and its parentage.

TABLE 1 Differences and similarities between new variety and itsparentage DIFFERENCES I-42 ARBOSANA KORONEIKI TREE TYPE Semi-DwarfNormal Normal TREE HABIT Spreading to Spreading Spreading dropping FRUITWEIGHT About 1.2 g About 1.43 g About 1.07 g STONE WEIGHT About 0.19 gAbout 0.23 g About 0.19 g

The new variety is different from the related ‘I-15’ variety (patentedhaving U.S. Pat. No. 32,302) since it have less vigor than ‘I-15’. Thenew variety is also different from the ‘I-30’ variety (U.S. Ser. No.17/376,725) since it has a bigger leaf and smaller size of fruit. Table2 further lists some of the differences and similarities between the newvariety and related cultivars, such as the ‘I-50’ variety (U.S. Ser. No.17/376,634).

TABLE 2 Differences and similarities between new variety and relatedcultivars DIFFERENCES I-42 I-50 I-30 I-15 TREE TYPE Semi-Dwarf NormalSemi-Dwarf Normal TREE HABIT Spreading to spreading Spreading tospreading dropping dropping RIPENESS Early Early Early Medium LEAFLENGHT About 62 About 50 About 56 About 52 mm mm mm mm MAXIMUM About 12About 15 About 15 About 15 FRUIT mm mm mm mm DIAMETER (Transversal)

It was found that the new variety of the present invention possesses thefollowing combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) the tree has a spreading growth habit    -   (b) the fruit weight is low and the fruit color is black    -   (c) the fruit is acute and weakly asymmetric    -   (d) the fruit possesses a moderate nipple    -   (e) the stone is very elongated with a very low to low weight        and possesses a moderately rugose surface.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andhas not been commercialized. The new variety has an easy agronomicmanagement.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from related similarvarieties. The new variety has a small variety size.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation inVillafranca de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain by vegetative cuttings. Asexualpropagation by vegetative cutting in Spain has shown that thecharacteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictlytransmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation toanother. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in atrue-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘I-42’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety.

FIG. 1 illustrates the growth of the new variety.

FIG. 2 illustrates the foliage of the new variety.

FIG. 3 illustrates specimens of the new variety's immature fruit.

FIG. 4 illustrates the growth habit of the new variety.

FIG. 5 illustrates the new variety's mature fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart, 2007 edition), London,England. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has beenadded to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. Thedescription is based on data collected from a four-year-old specimenduring 2019 in Villafranca (Córdoba, Spain).

-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Spreading.        -   Vigor.—Low.        -   Height (average).—210 cm.        -   Width (average).—168 cm.        -   Canopy width.—168 cm.        -   Canopy density.—Dense.-   Trunk:    -   -   Surface texture.—Smooth.        -   Bark color.—148C (medium brown green).        -   Diameter (average).—47 mm.        -   Cross-section.—47 mm (diameter).-   Main stems:    -   -   Length (average).—210 cm.        -   Amount of main branches.—5.        -   Circumference (average).—47 mm.        -   Color designation (young stems).—148C (medium brown green).        -   Color designation (mature stems).—148A (dark brown green).        -   Surface texture (young stems).—Smooth.        -   Surface texture (mature stems).—Smooth.        -   Lenticels.—Absent.        -   Internode length (average).—10-20 cm.        -   Cross-section.—47 mm.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Abundance.—High.        -   Cross-section.—15-20 cm.        -   Average length.—80 cm.        -   Diameter (average).—20 cm.        -   Internode length (average).—10 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Strength.—Medium.        -   Color designation (young branches).—148C (medium brown            green).        -   Color designation (mature branches).—148C (dark brown            green).        -   Fruiting shoots.—All.        -   Pubescence.—Absent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—The arrangement of the leaves is typical of            Olea europaea L. Species (two opposite leaves per each            node).        -   Venation pattern.—Central line.        -   Length (average).—62 mm.        -   Width (average).—15.        -   Color (upper surface) young leaves.—142A (light green).        -   Color (lower surface) young leaves.—142D (light green).        -   Color (upper surface) mature leaves.—143A (medium green).        -   Color (lower surface) mature leaves.—142D (light green).        -   Leaf margins.—Smooth.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Shape.—Elongated (include tip shape and base shape).        -   Curvature of longitudinal axis.—None.-   Petiole:    -   -   Average length.—4-6 mm.        -   Average diameter.—1 mm.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—racime.        -   Average length.—Medium.        -   Average width.—Medium.        -   Number of flowers (average).—At least 15.        -   Flower bud size.—(Length and width) medium.        -   Flower bud shape.—Medium.        -   Flower bud color.—142D (light green).        -   Flowering time.—First of May in Villafranca de Córdoba            (Córdoba, Spain) during 2 weeks.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Average length.—3 mm.        -   Average diameter.—1 mm.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Strength.—Medium.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—In racime.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Diameter (average).—6 mm.        -   Height (average).—5 mm.        -   Sepals.—4 sepals in cross (unfused).        -   Sepal length (average).—3 mm.        -   Sepal width (average).—2 mm.        -   Sepal shape.—Elongated.        -   Sepal apex shape.—Peak.        -   Sepal base shape.—Rounded.        -   Sepal margin.—Smooth.        -   Sepal texture.—Smooth.        -   Petal number per flower.—0.-   Androcium:    -   -   Stamen number.—2.        -   Filament length.—3 mm.        -   Anther attachment.—Basifixed.        -   Anther shape.—Globular (monothecal).        -   Anther length.—2 mm.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil quantity.—1.        -   Stigma shape.—Ovate.        -   Stigma length.—2 mm.        -   Style length.—2 mm.        -   Ovary position.—Superior.        -   Ovary shape.—Hypoginus.        -   Ovary diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Carpels.—1.-   Calyx:    -   -   Number (average).—4.        -   Shape.—In cross shape.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Smooth.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color (upper).—155A (White).        -   Color (lower).—155A (White).-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length (average).—1-5 mm.        -   Diameter (average).—1 mm.        -   Color.—145D (light green).        -   Texture.—Smooth.-   Fruit:    -   -   Average weight.—1.19 g (low).        -   Shape—apex.—Acute.        -   Color designation (flesh color).—59B (dark purple red).        -   Color designation (skin color).—58A (dark purple).        -   Ripening.—Intermediate.        -   Fat yield.—20%.        -   Size (average).—Small.        -   Length (average).—22 mm.        -   Width (average).—20 mm.        -   Height (average).—22 mm.        -   Marbling.—Medium.        -   Symmetry.—Slightly asymmetrical.        -   Pistil scar.—Central.        -   Mucron.—Present.        -   Lenticel size (immature fruit).—Medium.        -   Number of lenticels (immature fruit).—Low number of            lenticels.        -   Nipple.—Present.        -   Bloom on surface.—Medium (relative amount).-   Stalk:    -   -   Length (average).—5 mm.        -   Diameter (average.—1 mm.        -   Color.—148C.-   Stone:    -   -   Quantity.—1.        -   Shape.—Very elongated.        -   Average weight.—0.19 g (very low to low).        -   Average length.—12 mm.        -   Average width.—6 mm.        -   Grooving.—7.        -   Sutures.—Medium.        -   Color.—152C (dark green brown).        -   Symmetry.—Symmetrical.        -   Texture.—Moderately rugose.        -   Mucron.—Present.-   Development:    -   -   Productivity.—Very high and constant, 942 oil liter per acre            and year.        -   Time of flowering.—First days of May in Villafranca de            Córdoba, Spain.        -   Flowering period.—2 weeks.        -   Time of fruit ripening.—3 months.        -   Ripening period.—October-December.        -   Winter hardiness/cold tolerance.—Unknown.        -   Drought/heat tolerance.—Unknown.        -   Plant/fruit disease, pest resistance.—Free of Cucumovirus            cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Nepovirus cherry leaf roll            virus (CLRV), Incertae Sedis strawberry latent ringspot            virus (SLRSV) and Nepovirus arabis mosaic virus (ArMV).

The new ‘I-42’ variety has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that thephenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensityand duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of olive tree named ‘I-42’, asillustrated and described herein.